The Oakland Press is reporting on a road rage incident which occurred Monday in the Detroit-suburb of West Bloomfield. The incident led to a motorist ramming a bicycle — twice — while the cyclist lay under the bike and the car in front.

When the two stopped for the light at Inkster and Maple roads, the bicyclist came up to the pickup driver’s window and told the driver he had crowded him on the road.

“The two exchanged words,” said Lt. Carl Fuhs of the West Bloomfield police.

Fuhs said the bicyclist struck the pickup truck’s mirror with a water bottle, and the bottle fell to the ground. The mirror wasn’t broken.

“He was off the bike walking (with it) to get the water bottle and went in front of the truck,” said Fuhs. “The pickup drove forward, ramming the bicycle. Then the driver backed up and rammed it again.”

The cyclist was taken to a nearby hospital with a broken ankle. The driver was arrested and and their vehicle was impounded.

Except for the rail-trail, West Bloomfield is simply a terribly unsafe place to ride a bike. All of the roads are controlled by the Road Commission for Oakland County, which refuses to design them to safely accommodate bicyclists.

Cycling advocates did meet with West Bloomfield planning officials this spring and asked that they include Complete Streets language in their master plan which is currently being revised.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

The Oakland Press article’s title begins with “WHAT DO YOU THINK?”

What do we think about felonious assault? Is this is a news report or a public poll?

In any case, the Oakland Press was successful in eliciting plenty uninformed opinions on where cyclists should ride. To the paper’s credit, they updated the article to include Michigan’s state law.

The Oakland Press reported on another assault where an 18-year-old pregnant woman apparently stabbed another woman nine times. That article did not begin with “WHAT DO YOU THINK?”

A young protester at the Palmer Park rally against closing Detroit parks

Complete Streets bills pass the House

House Bill 6151 passed on a 85 to 21 vote while House Bill 6152 passed 84 to 22. Both bills are now on their way to the Senate. This is great news, but we’re not done yet. Please contact your Michigan Senator and ask them to support both bills.

Michigan Ranked 10th for Obesity

The newest obesity report was just released.

Michigan was named the tenth most obese state in the country, according to the seventh annual F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future 2010 report from the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF).

Obesity rates among youths ages 10-17 from the 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) also were included in the 2009 F as in Fat report; 12.4 percent of children were obese in the state, with the state ranking 41st out of the 50 states and D.C. for childhood obesity.

What’s interesting is Michigan’s youth obesity rank is 41st.

Detroit RiverWalk: A touch of nirvana

There’s a insightful Free Press opinion piece by Stephen Henderson.

We spent a big chunk of last Sunday, Father’s Day, on the RiverWalk, just a few blocks from where we live. …for my children, now 5 and nearly 7, this was just another slice of Detroit nirvana.

The riverfront is their very public backyard, where they ride bikes or scooters and marvel at the bellowing vessels headed for the Soo. They’ve seen a wedding. They’ve learned about ducks and geese and powerboats.

Their neighborhood is safe and full of nearby thrills.

Model D: Game changing projects

The Conner Creek Greenway is at #10 on this interesting list from Model D.

10. Conner Creek Greenway: Among the numerous bike lane and greenways projects around town, I chose to single this one out because of the fact that about a third of the 9-mile project, which will ultimately run contiguously from the Detroit River to Eight Mile by 2013, is already complete. The fact that the greenway taps into Creekside’s 140 acres of riverfront parks, Chandler Park and Mt. Olivet Cemetery and that it takes you pretty darn close to the haunted and awesome Two-Way Inn knocks this project out of the park.

Detroit Parks to remain open

The budget standoff between Detroit City Council and the Mayor’s office has been resolved. The $4.5 million cut to General Services has been restored. That cut would have eliminated 40 from the city’s grass cutting crew and kept parks from being mowed.

Sally Patrella from the Friends of Rouge Park posted the following on the Detroit Parks Coalition page on Facebook:

We did it. The mayor gave his budget amendment to City Council that restored half of the funding for parks and City Council approved it this afternoon. Mayor’s office says it is unlikely any parks will close now. President Pugh and Kenyatta agreed to work with this new coalition and Kenyatta is going to start a task force.

The Detroit Parks Coalition is having its second meeting next Wednesday, July 7 at 9 a.m. at the St. Luke Tabernacle, 19633 Joy Road (at Plainview 1 block east of Evergreen).

Had those 77 parks closed, it would likely have affected greenways and trails, including those at Rouge Park, Patton Park, and Palmer Park.

Corktown/Mexicantown Greenlink

The Greater Corktown Development Corporation spearheaded this Greenlink plan that would make Detroit’s Corktown and Mexicantown neighborhoods some of the most bike friendly places in Michigan. Among other bike facilities, the plans include about 20 miles of bike lanes. The Tour-de-Troit has been raising money for this project for some time as well.

However, the Greater Corktown Development Corporation has suffered financial issues as reported by Crain’s Detroit Business, but the project is moving forward.

To continue work on the Corktown-Mexicantown Greenlink project to connect those communities to Detroit’s west riverfront, Greater Corktown has secured an agreement from Southwest Detroit Business Association to serve as the new fiduciary for the greenlink, a project it’s worked on for over five years.

SDBA is working with Greater Corktown, the Michigan Department of Transportation and the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan to combine as one project the greenlink, the Southwest Detroit/East Dearborn Greenway it’s been shepherding, and other walkway and bike path work the city has planned for west Vernor, said Kathleen Wendler, president of the business association.

“I like to think of it as SDBA adopting the infant we took care of for some time but are currently unable to raise,” said Kavanaugh, a freelance writer and co-owner of Wheelhouse Detroit Bike Shop.

Yesterday at Councilmember Ken Cockrel’s Green Task Force, Detroit Traffic Engineering said they still hope this project can begin by the end of this construction season. Detroit’s W. Vernor project (from Waterman to Lansing Street) is expected to be done this year — which also includes bike lanes and improvements to that unlit (and nearly unpaved!) railroad underpass west of Livernois.

Once these three projects are completed, there will be bike lanes all along W. Vernor. This will greatly improve access to the amazing restaurants and bakeries in Southwest Detroit — an unbeatable fueling station for cyclists.

Villages CDC Planning & Bike Ambassadors

Model D is reporting on a recent grant awarded to the Villages CDC which include non-motorized planning.

The Villages CDC has been awarded $215,000 from the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan for greenways and bike lane planning and design. The money will also be used for community outreach and construction documents. Villages board member Kim Clayson hopes to complete this pre-development phase by February of next year.

While details are yet to be worked out, The Villages hopes to link its community up with other existing and planned greenways in Detroit, including the Dequindre Cut, Detroit RiverWalk and Conner Creek Greenway. Partners will include the Detroit Eastside Community Collaborative, Detroit RiverFront Conservancy, Creekside CDC, Jefferson East Business Association and Gleaners, since the agency is preliminarily planning a connection from its food bank to the Riverwalk.

Regarding the Gleaner’s Food Bank, they too received a grant for a feasibility study. That study will look at converting the abandoned railroad east of Beaufait into a trail. That railroad property runs from the Uniroyal site on the Detroit River (just west of the bridge) to Gratiot. This potential trail would also connect with the Capuchin Soup Kitchen and their Earthworks Farm.

The Villages CDC grant is also funding the development of a bike ambassador strategy for Detroit. The Active Transportation Alliance out of Chicago will be working with local stakeholders to develop this strategy based upon their successful program in Chicago: Mayor Daley’s Bicycling Ambassadors.

Mayor Daley’s Bicycling Ambassadors work toward the following objectives:

• to increase the number of trips made by bicycle
• to reduce the number of bicycle-related injuries
• to help all users – bike riders, motorists, and pedestrians – better share roads and off-street trails.

To accomplish these goals, the Ambassadors appear at events throughout Chicago to reach as many Chicagoans as possible with bicycle safety education. Ambassadors talk face-to-face with Chicagoans and give presentations to kids, teens, and adults by participating in community events.

There are also Junior Ambassadors who “work with the Bicycling Ambassadors to deliver bicycle safety messages to their peers.”

There would certainly be many benefits having a similar program in Detroit, and thankfully the Villages CDC and the Community Foundation are planting that seed.

From the League of Michigan Bicyclists:

The League of Michigan Bicyclists and the Michigan Fitness Foundation announced today that they will host a statewide conference call to assist businesses and communities to learn about the League of American Bicyclists Bicycle Friendly Communities and Bicycle Friendly Business Program. The call is free to any interested individual or organization and will be held on Tuesday, June 29th from 12:30PM to 1:30PM. To RSVP and receive call-in information, please email jlindenmayer@lmb.org

The Bicycle Friendly Business (BFB) program recognizes employers’ efforts to encourage a more bicycle-friendly atmosphere for employees and customers. The program honors innovative bike-friendly efforts and provides technical assistance and information to help companies and organizations become even better for bicyclists. This new initiative complements the League’s Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) program, which has been recognizing cities and towns for their bicycle friendliness since 2003.

The conference call will feature a presentation from Alison Dewey, a Washington, DC-based Program Specialist with the League of American Bicyclists’ Bicycle Friendly America program. Alison will outline the programs and offer guidance on completing the application process. Joining Alison will be three Michigan-based advocates with previous experience working on BFB and BFC applications: John Lindenmayer, Associate Director of the League of Michigan Bicyclists; Rory Neuner, LMB Board Member; and Sarah Panken, the Active Communities Coordinator at the Michigan Fitness Foundation.

As of Spring 2010, six Michigan communities have received designation as a Bicycle Friendly Community at the Silver or Bronze level, and three Michigan communities have received an Honorable Mention. Three Michigan businesses, including the League of Michigan Bicyclists, have been designated as Bicycle Friendly Businesses.

“A cooperative group of business friends in Royal Oak, Michigan” has begun a campaign highlighting 11 Mile Road through Royal Oak. They are hoping draw business and attention to this business strip.

“We don’t get any respect,” he said about himself and his fellow business owners along the portions of 11 Mile Road just west and east of downtown Royal Oak. “We are not glitzy, or glamorous or progressive. But it’s family friendly down here. Eleven Mile Road is where you go for everyday service.”

Their slogan and web site are “11 Mile Has It All.”

Anyone who’s ever thought about biking on 11 Mile knows better. 11 Mile is not a Complete Street. It doesn’t have it all. It’s a road design based on the old-school failed concept that maximum vehicle mobility is good for local business strips.

It’s the same failed concept that once removed parking on nearby Washingon Boulevard in order to add another travel lane. Thankfully the Royal Oak DDA put Washington Boulevard on a Road Diet — at least in the business district.

We’ve submitted these comments to this 11 Mile Road group some weeks ago, but have not yet received any response:

Greatest Challenge: 11 Mile Road is not a Complete Street nor designed to be a main street. The current road design is the biggest impediment to making 11 Mile a thriving business district and part of a livable community. Today, 11 Mile does not have it all — but it can be fixed.

Solution: Make 11 Mile Road a Complete Street, which would likely involve a Road Diet, bike lanes, and on-street parking where possible. This is not unlike what Ferndale did with 9 Mile to great success. The 11 Mile group should participate in Royal Oak’s non-motorized planning which is expected to start soon.

We checked and the motor vehicle traffic volumes on 11 Mile Road would allow a Road Diet without diverting traffic onto residential streets.

And Road Diets increase safety. MDOT studied eight Michigan road diets and found they reduced vehicular crashes by 26% and reduced pedestrian unjuries by 37%. They also reduce speeding, provide more safe transportations options, and increase local business.

A Road Diet would truly make 11 Mile Road more family friendly — something it isn’t today unless you’re in a car.

11 Mile Road could have it all.